The CFO Show Annual Planning: Beyond Numbers to Business Growth
Jul 29, 2025
Igor Stelea, Director of Strategic Finance at CFGI, dives into the intricacies of effective annual planning. He emphasizes the importance of honest plan reviews and aligning strategic and operational goals. Igor shares insights on using OKRs, rolling forecasts, and scenario planning to enhance agility amidst uncertainty. He warns against common pitfalls like siloed planning and stresses the need for cross-functional collaboration. Additionally, he highlights the role of mature finance teams in driving decision-making through storytelling and strategic partnership.
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Start With Honest Review And A Calendar
- Begin planning with a brutal review of last year's plan and performance to see where you hit or missed.
- Calendarize the operating plan and align it to major milestones like close, board meetings, and long-range planning.
Refresh Market Data And Scenario-Plan
- Refresh market understanding by using macro signals, customer surveys, and competitor benchmarking to inform assumptions.
- Build scenario plans for shocks like rate rises, demand drops, or tariffs and benchmark their impact.
Strategy Is The 'Why', Operating Plan The 'How'
- Treat the strategic plan as the why and the operating plan as the how, linking top-down targets to execution.
- Use OKRs to translate strategic objectives into measurable key results that drive prioritization and trade-offs.
